Garment-supporter.



Nn. 682,298. Patnted Sept. l0, |90I. C L VAN DOREN GARMENT SUPPDRTER.

(Application filed Oct, 18, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

35...!...71//6 IWW No. 682,298. Patented Sept. I0, ISOI.

C. L. VAN DUREN. GARMENT SUPPURTER.

(Application filed Oct. 18, 1900.)

(Nu Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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CHARLES L. VAN DOREN, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

timmeren-surnames.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,298, datedSeptember 10, 1901.

Application iiled October 18, 1900. Serial No. 33,452. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, CHARLES LVANDQREN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Garment-Supporters; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference. being had to the accompanying drawings,and to `the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to garment-supporters, and moreparticularly thatclass of sup porters designed to support from the shoulders trousers orother articles of wearingapparel. Articles of this class are ordinarilyworn by men over the shirt and secured by means of buttons or the likeupon the trousers. Frequently, however, Suspenders so worn areundesirable, as when a negligee shirt is used. Ordinarily belts havebeen used, and the suspenders or other support has been dispensed with,frequently to the injury of the health of the wearer. The Suspenders ifused in such cases must be worn over the shirt, or aspecially-constructed shirt is required to permit suspender-ends wornbeneath the shirt to engage the buttons on the waistband of the ganment. In either event the appearance is un-` sightly.

My invention provides means for attaching concealed Suspenders totrousers, drawers, or other articles of wearing-apparel at the innerside of the waistband,thereby rendering the same invisible when in useand affording an efficient and reliable support for the garment eitherwith or without a belt, as desired.

The invention consists of the matters hereinafter described, and morefully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a garment providedwith a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryperspective view of part of the attaching means. Fig. 3 is a sectiontaken through the waistband of the garment at the point of attachment ofthe Vsupporter thereto. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the web connecting thelower ends of the supporter. Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the variationof the attaching means.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating one form of the attachingmeans adapted to be secured to the garment. Fig. 7 is a similar Viewshowing the covering of said stripturned backwardly. Fig. 8 is aperspective view of the springsstrip. Fig. 9 is aview of the hooksadapted to be secured ou said spring-strip.

As shown in the drawings, A indicates a garment, herein shown as a pairof trousers, to the waistband of which ou each side is secured aspring-strip of metal orother resilient material, which preferably isconcealed in the waistband of the garment, as. indicated in dotted lineson Fig. l.

B indicates the Suspenders or supporters, herein shown as comprising twostrips of fabric crossed and united intermediate of their ends andhaving the rear end of each united to the forward end of the other. Eachof said strips is provided near its front end with a buckle or othersuitable device for adjusting the length of the saine, as desired, andthe united ends of the same are provided with means for attaching thesaine centrally to said strip a. Said means, as herein indicated beingahook b, as indicated in Figs. i and 5, is designed to be engaged in aloop or eye a', located centrally on the inner side of saidstrip-hanger.

B' B2 each indicate a band of fabric, each of which is secured at oneend to one of the united ends of the Suspenders B and extendshorizontally forward, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The meeting ends ofsaid strips are provided with any desired device for securing the endstogether. A resilient head-andsocket button is indicated in Fig. 4.VSaid bands B B2 may be provided along their length with hooks b/b2,from which the drawers C or other undergarment may be suspended.Obviously,ifpreferred,saidsupporting-hooks for the undergarments may besecured on the strip a. Such construction is illustrated in IOC mits thesame to be made materially lighter than would otherwise be the case.However, if preferred, the hooks may be otherwise constru cted andsecured thereon, or eyes or loops may be secured on the spring-strip andthe hooks provided on the garment and supporter. Ordinarily suchresilient or spring strips will be secured in the waistband when thegarment is made, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. Obviously, however, saidstrips may be secured on any garment after the same is 1inished. Forthis purpose a webbing or other fabric is folded and secured about thestrip a, as indicated in Fig. G, and may be stitched along the innerside ot' the waistband of the garment, as indicated in Fig. 5. Insecuring said strip ct to the garment the front end of the strip should,if the garment be trousers, come in alinement with the crease. The hooksdesigned to support the underclothing will preferably be located betweenthe loop d and the front end of the strip. Obviously, however, saidhooks may be otherwise disposed, and it may be desirable in some casestolocate hooks adjacent to each end of the strip.

The operation of my device is as follows: Saidstripsbeingsecuredateachsideofthegarment,projecting forwardly and rearwardly, act in themselvesto aid in supporting the garment and mold perfectly to the form. Beingrelatively thin and light, the same readily flatten down in packing forshipment or otherwise, but immediately return to their original positionwhen the garment is supported therefrom. The supporter B B, constructedas described, supports the garment on each side directly beneath theshoulders and obviously permits greater freedom of movement than is thecase with Suspenders of ordi-nary construction, and furthermore, theweight being directly down ward beneath the shoulders,said Suspendersact as a shoulder-brace and tend to hold the body in a more nearly erectposition. When the supporters are worn beneath the shirt, eyelets may beprovided on each side of the shirt to permit the hooked end of' thesupporter engaging the strip a, or the side seam of the shirt may beripped upwardly a short distance for the same purpose. Ordinarily,however, the front and back of the shirt may be drawn down as desiredand a slight fold made in each side near the side seams beneath,whichthe end of the supporter engages on the strip a, said folds beingentirely concealed under the waistband. Vhen the hooks supporting theunderclothing are ceases secured upon the strip ct, the shirt is securedwithin said underclothing in the usual manner.

Obviously' many features ofl construction herein described may bemodified without departing from the principle of my invention.

I claim as my inventionl. A garment-supporter adapted to be supportedfrom the shoulders comprising strips of fabric crossed at the back andunited intermediate of their ends and the rear end of each strip broughtforward and united to the forward end of the other strip beneath theshoulder and at the waistband of a garment, means for adjusting thestrips as to length, a plate secured on the garment laterally, means onthe united ends of said strips affording attachment to said plates and astrip of fabric provided with means for supporting an undergarmentsecured on each of said unitedends and extending forwardly and eachprovided at its free end with means for securing the same together.

2. A garment-supporter comprising two strips of fabric adapted to extendover the shoulders and cross at the back and united intermediate oftheir ends, the rear end of one strip being united to the forward end ofthe other strip beneath the shoulder and at the waist-line, means foradjusting said strips as to length, attaching means on the united endsof said strips, a strip of fabric secured on each of said united endsand extending forwardly, means for uniting the free ends thereof, hooksthereon to support the undergarment and a strip of spring metal adaptedto be permanently secured on a garment beneath the shoulders and at thewaist-line and provided centrally with means for attaching the unitedends of the supporter thereto.

An article of manufacture comprising a relatively narrow plate of springmetal provided on one side with a central loop and adjacent thereto withan upwardly-turned hook and a sheath of fabric inclosing said stripthrough which said loop and said hook project, said loop and hook beingformed of a strip of spring metal secured on said plate extendinglongitudinally thereof and acting to reinforce the same.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES L. VAN DOREN.

In presence of- A. J. ENRIGHT, E. M. RIDDLE.

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